NPP chairman slams govt for 25% cut in developmental funds

NPP chairman and MLA Harsh Dev Singh has lambasted the state government for effecting a cut of 25% in various developmental plans after the proposals were approved and finalised by the district development boards.

He said under the curtailment of 25% in funds in the approved plans by the state government was highly intriguing and mischievous. Further, it was ridiculous that the government after effecting the curtailment had once again issued a circular to all districts to reframe the district plans in the light of altered plan outlays, the NPP chairman said.

He claimed that government was saving funds to be utilised through back-door and in violation of norms in certain selected and favourite constituencies.

Singh slammed the government for withholding funds under various centrally-sponsored as well as state sector schemes despite the lapse of first six months of the current financial year.

He mentioned that the 'bad pocket plan' had not been released till date despite the fact that such 'bad pocket areas' had a very limited working season and usually become inaccessible after the snowfall thus making the launch of development schemes impossible in such areas.

Not only that, Singh said, the 'bad pocket plan' had been drastically cut down from Rs 50 crore in the previous financial year to Rs 10 crore in the current financial year notwithstanding the fact that the state government was making tall claims of according top priority to development of bad-pocket areas.

Singh questioned the rationale behind the release of a special package of Rs 35 crore to Srinagar district by excluding all other districts under the garb of Special Area Development Programme (SADP). He asked the government to explain the criteria adopted for the purpose.